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Adorned Nails: KOH Playful

To be honest, I don't usually get very excited when KOH releases special seasonal collections. More often than not, they are unexciting shades, with some looking similar to those of a collection from the year before. In other words, I don't usually feel compelled to run to the store to get them when they are released, 'Limited Edition' or not.

Instead, I prefer to take my time sifting through KOH's permanent collection of 120+ polishes as there are some fantastic colours to be found there. I still have some in my stash that I haven't featured here.

On that note, I will now get on with business. In March, KOH released a set of six colours meant to be summer colours and calling the collection Mood Tones. I saw the polishes in the press release and predictably, I didn't find myself lemming any of the six colours.

You would think that with those names, they would be some deep, assertive colours that pack a punch, correct?

Well, no. Most of them are actually pale nudish shades with one a pale lilac and another a green. This one I'm featuring here was kindly sent to me by KOH to review and it is a medium grey called Playful.

Hmmmm.

Grey. Playful mood. Playful mood. Grey.

I'm sorry, I don't see the connection here. I would totally get it if this grey were called Indecisive but err, Playful??!

Each Mood Tone polish comes in a black box and with an accompanying "shawl" (according to KOH) in a matching colour.

Oh, I must show you the label on the "shawl":

I can't help but wonder where that idea of using the word 'heaven' came from.........

No cockiness, no sarcasm here. As always, I'm just saying it as it is. I may be mistaken with my insinuation but, let's just say I am not naïve either.

Anyway, back to the nail polish.

Playful is a medium grey shimmer. I know this won't come out sounding sophisticated but the closest I can liken the grey to is the grey of PVC plumbing pipes. Its shimmers are silvery sometimes (Playful looks almost pearlescent) but they're predominantly specks of black.

The best way I can describe it: Playful is like a medium grey shimmer polish dense with soot particles. Maybe that's where the playfulness comes in.

The formula was rather thick and goopy, so application wasn't the easiest. My experience with KOH polishes has been mixed: sometimes, they apply so easily (as was the case with KOH Chocolate Brown and KOH Metallic Red) and other times, they are thick and troublesome to apply.

I've worn Playful twice in the last few weeks. These photos are from the first wear. I have three coats on here. The second time, I wore two coats and had it on for six days without a top coat. It chipped slightly on the second day but unlike most nail polishes, the chipping hardly worsened in subsequent days. There was however nail tip wear as the days progressed.

In sunlight

The KOH Mood Tone polish setbox retails for €14.95, the same price as other normal KOH nail polishes.

So, what about the "shawl"? KOH did provide some suggestions on how to use it:

My opinion: Based on initial pictures of the "shawls" in the press release, I thought it was a very cool idea at first.

Until I saw it with my own eyes.

I was expecting a light, flowy scarf but in reality, it's not a shawl, it's not even a scarf. It's just a tie, a short and narrow one (just under 33" long and 2" wide).

Tying it around the ankle into a bow is not my cup of tea. It's a bit too short as a proper headband. It's not long enough as a ribbon belt. Tying it around the neck is okay. I'm not crazy about tying it to the handbag. So, I've worn it only once with a braid.

I tried some nail art on Playful and will be featuring that here soon.

26 comments:

Wow the packaging is so elegant and "Made in Heaven" seriously what were they thinking but I love the nail polish very pretty color.I like the last picture in which they tied the "Shawl" on the purse but using it to as a braid tie is good too,looks cool :)

Hmm, might actually buy it as for some reason I do like the idea of pvc-tube grey with shimmer and soot particles. Have to agree though, Koh's permanent collection has really nice shades! They've got a holo you know :o. It's called platinum silver, in case you're wondering :3. It's just a standard silver holo, but I love it :D!

(By the way, have you tried any flakies yet? I think you might like them.)

@alviraHello, Alvira! Thanks. I'm glad that Playful is to your taste. The packaging is indeed quite luxurious, as is often the case with KOH products. They do pay a lot of attention to product presentation, I must say. :)

@sugar sugarWho knows, KOH may one day expand to Asia. :)

@KTeeYou really got me laughing there, KTee. :D Laughing with joy and because your points on the product are dead on. First of all, thank you very much (again!) for your kind and encouraging words about Witoxichic (and those clogs ;D ). It's a different approach, mixing both websites. It's always good to know that someone out there, like you, enjoys and appreciates this effort. :)

I'm with you on subtlety of brand images on clothing and accessories. I mean, in-your-face walking advertisements we are not! :D

As for the "shawl", I'm sure there are those who love it and would wear it as per the suggestions. One suggestion was laughable, I thought, but hey, that's just me. To each his own, I always say. :)

The spelling mistake for a product name - inexcusable. I think it's too late for them to correct it. I rest my case.

The (simple) nail art is coming up real soon! Stay tuned! :D

@AdisHi, Adis! Well, go get it while you can. It does say on the box 'Limited Edition'. :) Yeah, I'm aware of the existence of the silver holo. I haven't got that one though, I have a green one in my stash. Flakies? I have a few of their flakies, one of which I featured last month: KOH Bronzation. The others will just have to wait for their turn in the limelight (I have a shameful backlog of polishes that needs to be cleared. Yikes!). :D

Gosh, I've got to remember to get it soon then :x. No, I mean actual proper flakies. KOH Bronzation has the flakies mixed in nail polish that isn't clear/semi-translucent, which gives it a different effect :o. This page shows the effect real good :). It's much more noticeable compared to Bronzation :3.

Hey! This polish kind of looks like the polish I'm wearing now, can't cheat on me from essence! Anyway, the essence one is a little bit holographic so I prefer this one :). By the way, KOH has a holographic polish too, right? Do you know if it is still in their collection? I've searched for the GOSH holo, but I can't find it, and the KOH one looks similar. Thanks in advance! :)

I always admire your objectivity in your writings. It’s just the way things are, your honest opinion and experience with products and no BS. That’s what I like in your posts. I don’t see that very often, specially when bloggers get things for free.

The idea of including a matching shawl is very cool (a proper one btw ), however I find the whole collection very plain and boring (I have seen nicer colors in your nail polish gallery). I wouldn’t buy it myself and I wouldn’t wear a shawl around my ankle like that with a bow, that’s for sure. ;)

I think you are right with the “made in heaven” label. I am sure KOH got its inspiration from you. I am not overexcited when looking at their website as I see a lack of inspiration. I have been following your writings for a long time, so lets face it, you introduced KOH to the big public and started the international lemmingWell take care, Nicole x

@AdisOhhhh, you mean generic flakies that are used more for layering on different colours! Nope, I haven't got them myself but yes, I can imagine the limitless combination possiblities with these eye candies. I MAY see about getting myself a bottle. :D

@SkuldaI'm pleased you like Playful. You could call it smooth concrete with soot, I suppose. :)

@The BeautifierThanks. It's great that you like the polish shade and the tie. :)

@AnniHello! No worries about your comments. I welcome all comments (that are not spam). Of course, I appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts here, Anni. :)

I was in Kruidvat yesterday and had a look at Can't Cheat On Me. I see what you mean about the little holo effect it has. It's pretty!

Yes, as far as I know, KOH still has that silver holo in its collection. Adis (see above) says it's called Platinum Silver.

A while back, word was going round that GOSH is discontinuing its Holographic nail polish, which must explain why you've been facing problems finding it in the stores. I myself haven't seen it in the Kruidvat stores for a few months already. I simply cannot understand why GOSH chose to discontinue this particular polish. It's such a popular one! :P

@BellasUnhaseCiaYay! Obrigada! :D

@NicoleHi, Nicole! Thank you, thank you and thank you! I'm very happy that you appreciate my points of view on many matters in general. I see and say things as they are and if some don't like that, there's really nothing I can do about it.

Hee hee, psst, I wouldn't wear the "shawl" around my ankle either, not unless I want to be caught by the fashion police. :P

Aah, that label. It will remain a mystery to us but let us, you and I, not lose any sleep over this. It's just not worth it. And on that final bit of your comment, I just have this one thing to say (a variation of a borrowed phrase): One can only help those who help themselves.

Yeah, I meant those :D! If you want some cheap (but quite pretty and easy to laquer) ones, you should give Golden Rose a shot :). I got mine from enchantra.nl. They usually have them on sale for 2,50 and if they don't, you can always wait until they are again :3.

On a related note, I got my hands on the Koh Playful polish and it is pretty :D! I love me some greys :3!

Made in heaven??? Wow!!! I want to have one too! but errr.... I would prefer a soft flowy scarf instead.

I think the whole set looks more suited for autumn or winter collection, instead of summer.

That said, Playful is a work-safe shade. I was wearing a dupe of GOSH Ocean (just posted in my blog few days ago), well almost a dupe..I don't know. Then Spring break is over and I had to attend a lecture. Oppss... I was walking out the door and realised that I hadn't removed the nail polish which by then had chipped off quite a bit too. If I had on some 'safer' shade, then there was no need to quickly remove the polish and dashed out the door. ;)

@AdisThanks for the recommendation. I've seen Golden Rose around online but had never really been seriously tempted to get those flakies. I'll be on a look out for them. :)

Whoa! Got Playful already?! That was fast. Good for you! I'm glad you like that grey. It's definitely an all-ocassion shade. :D

@VonvonHi, Vonvon! Chatty is fine by me! :) A flowy scarf it really should have been! And true, you could wear this grey anywhere and not worry about it being too conspicuous. Peacock, on the other hand, is certainly not subtle. It's a beautiful polish but I agree, it's very look-at-me. :)

I hope you'll end up liking them whenever they end up in your collection :D.

Yeah, I was out shopping for groceries (well, that was the intention...) and I decided to take a drop by at a store that sells Koh and yeah, couldn't quite leave it behind... So now I have another nail polish in my pretty collection :D! (I don't think I'll finish any of the polishes this lifetime :p.)

@AdisOh, Adis, I think we are all in the same boat. I don't think we will ever, ever see the bottom of most (or all) of our nail polish bottles. Of course, that would be much to the glee of nail polish company executives! Hmph!